This presentation is the second part of a focus on “Worldview” that we began last week. This week we look at five important questions of life: Who is God, what is our origin, purpose and destiny, and what about the problem of evil? How do the different Worldviews and Religions answer those kinds of questions? The Christian Worldview by far gives us the best, and most reasonable, answers to these types of questions. Developing a strong Christian Worldview is important, and identifying false beliefs and teachings (even within Christianity) is incumbent upon all.

Watch this week’s presentation on this topic:

Overview Notes From the Presentation

CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS: LET ME EXPLAIN!

Own your faith, know what you believe and why you believe it!

Topic #1: Conversations About Worldview and Truth

Part 1: Focus on Worldview, continued…

Biblical Christianity vs…

Progressive Christianity – Deconstructionism

Progressive Christianity promotes deconstruction of Biblical Christianity
Deconstruction: Dismantling of the faith to dissect beliefs of Biblical Christianity
Goal of progressive Christianity: It is not to explore objective truth, but to find truth within yourself. It is to explore feelings, through various practices, that lead to your own idea of [subjective] truth.
Worldview includes: Denial of the Bible as the Word of God; and denial of many of the foundational beliefs of Christianity such as the atonement by Christ for our sins; a literal resurrection; the virgin birth; and a literal hell are just a few.
Progressive Christianity masquerades as Christianity, yet the underlying teachings are just the opposite.
Progressive Christianity falls under the banner of religious pluralism…

What is Religious Pluralism?

Religious pluralism is the view that all religions, and forms of spirituality, have paths that lead to god/heaven.

Some will narrow that view down to just the major or ethical religions
Some will expand the view by saying: “(Just) being a good person will get you to heaven”

Religious Pluralism…

promotes tolerance of all religious beliefs as if they are equally true
lays claim to being “politically correct” because we don’t want to offend anyone (even with the truth)
denies objective truth and promotes a type of relativism
rejects the exclusive claims made by Jesus
rejects the exclusive teachings of the Bible
has resulted in the religious institution known as the “Universal Church”
opens up a ‘smorgasbord’ approach to faith

Religious Worldview Comparison:

Major Belief Systems	Who is God?	Where did I come from?	What’s wrong with the world?	What is my purpose?	Is there a solution? FINAL DESTINY
Biblical Christianity	Creator of everything; Monotheistic; Triune Nature; Personal	Created in the Image of God	The Fall: Original sin = Human responsibility	Do God’s will; spread the Gospel; bring truth and hope to a fallen world	Salvation by atonement through Christ’s death and resurrection HEAVEN
Judaism	Creator of everything; Monotheistic; not Triune	Created in the Image of God	The Fall: Original sin = Human responsibility	Follow the Mosaic Law; live a sacrificial life; look for Messiah to come	Following of the Law/Torah for salvation and God’s favor PRESENT WITH GOD
Islam	Creator of everything; Monotheistic; Not Triune (Allah)	Created by Allah, NOT in the image of Allah	NO original sin; evil deception; the self	Submission to Allah; weighing the scales of good/bad to earn paradise	Salvation is by arbitrary will of Allah (or martyrdom); do more good than bad PARADISE
Eastern Religions	All matter and space is god; pantheistic/ Polytheistic	World is an illusion; we are part of the universe	Bad karma; Ignorance; human desires	Accept karma-reincarnation; deny self/ personal extinction	Mystical experiences; eliminate desires BRAHMAN/ NIRVANA
New Ageism	Humans are gods; a higher power exists; pantheistic	Eternal universe created us and we are evolving	Oppression; Western Civilization; religions	To create a utopian earth; self-improvement and enlightenment	Personal autonomy; tolerance enforced by law UTOPIA

Religious Leaders Comparison:

Religion	Leader	Role	Mission
Baha’i	Baha’u’llah	Prophet	To bring oneness and peace
Buddhism	Buddha	Enlightened One	To lead others to Nirvana
*Christianity*	*Jesus*	*God Incarnate*	*To redeem humanity*
Confucianism	Confucius	Ethical Teacher	To build a moral society
Islam	Muhammad	Prophet	To communicate the will of Allah
Jainism	Mahavira	Great Hero	To teach asceticism (severe self-discipline and self-denial)
Judaism	Moses	Prophet of YHWH	To communicate the Will and Law of YHWH
Shintoism	Kami(s)	Earth based spirit(s); symbol of god	To help others find peace with nature
Sikhism	Nanak	Prophet	To provide union with god
Taoism	Lao-Tzu	Sage	To teach the Tao (way)
Zoroastrianism	Zoroaster	Prophet	To communicate the will of Ahura-Mazda

Different religions and Worldviews do not agree on the most important questions

The world’s religions are fundamentally different, and these differences are logically irreconcilable on vital questions such as:

What is my origin?
Who is God?
Who is Jesus?
What is sin?
What is my purpose?
What constitutes salvation?
Where do we go after we die?

The world’s religions are foundationally different:

Each has a different historical beginning.
Each has a different, or many different holy books.
Each one looks to a founder or leader who taught very different concepts about this life and the afterlife, none of whom claimed to be the Son of God, except one.
Each leader or founder’s essential views are in opposition and contradictory at best.

The world’s religions are salvationally different, teaching very different pathways about very different eternal destinations:

Heaven/hell (Christianity and Judaism)
Paradise/eternal damnation (Islam)
Brahman (Hinduism)
Nirvana (Buddhism)
The Bridge (Zoroastrianism)
Jiva/Ajiva (Jainism)
Utopian afterlife (New Ageism)
Nothingness (Secular Naturalism/Atheism)

Only Christianity offers…

Intimacy: I am a child of God, I can have a relationship with Jesus

A Savior: Jesus died for me and my sins

Grace: Forgiveness with a gift, not just mercy

Acceptance: We can come just as we are, we don’t have to do anything first

A God who loves us and would die for us: Not a god that we have to die for

The difference is clear

What does it mean to have a Christian worldview?

A Christian worldview is based on the understanding of the following:

We are God’s creation, designed to govern the world and fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:15).
We sinned against God and subjected the whole world to a curse (Genesis 3).
God Himself has redeemed the world through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15; Luke 19:10).
Jesus resurrected in defeat of death and Satan, and will one day restore creation to its former perfect state (Isaiah 65:17-25; Revelation 21:1-5).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)

A Christian worldview leads us to believe in moral absolutes, miracles, human dignity (as we are made in the image of God), and the possibility of redemption.
True Christianity is more than a set of ideas to use at church; Christianity, as taught in the Bible, is itself a worldview.
Jesus proclaimed Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) and, in doing so, became our worldview.

How can we know that the Christian worldview is the right one?

General Revelation (from nature)

In the book of Romans Paul teaches about God’s truth made clear since the beginning of time:

“…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Romans 1:19-20

David tells us in the Old Testament:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Psalm 19:1-4

Special Revelation (from Scripture)

Starting in Genesis, and all the way through Revelation, the Bible gives us answers to the questions of origin, human purpose, the reason for evil and suffering, how it will all be solved, and our eternal destiny.

Jesus is the Scarlet Thread of the Bible story and everything points to Him

Paul teaches Biblical truth to Timothy:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Peter tells us about the truth of Scripture:

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

2 Peter 1:20-21

A Christian worldview can be found in the Gospel message: The life example, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

The Christian worldview claim is exclusive, but the invitation in inclusive

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Titus 2:11

Christianity has to be exclusive because…

Jesus is the only one who claimed to be the Son of God and proved it through his ministry, miracles and resurrection.
Jesus is the only one who fulfilled all of the prophecies given hundreds of years before his time.
Jesus is the only one who brought not just mercy (forgiveness of debt), but grace (a gift of eternal life).
Jesus is the only one who said it is done so that we do not have to do anything to earn salvation and entrance into Heaven.

Christianity is inclusive because…

All are welcomed into the family of God through His Son Jesus (John 3:16)
There is nothing a person can do to earn or work their way to eternal life (Romans 3, Galatians 2, Ephesians 2)
Jesus said to the thief on the cross: “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Some common arguments against Christianity’s exclusive claims:

“People in other religions can be so sincere – What if they never hear about Jesus?”

There are devout and sincere people of many faiths, but people can be devoutly and sincerely wrong.
Sincerity is not a test for truth.
Sincere faith in an improperly packed parachute won’t matter—we must be diligent in our preparation for eternity.
Jesus can be found in all other religions – they all “hat tip” Jesus in some way or another (see J. Warner Wallace’s book: “Person of Interest, Why Jesus still matters in a world that rejects the Bible”) – there is no excuse for a person not to truly seek who He is.

“Christians are arrogant for claiming Jesus is the only way.”

Arrogance is not a test for truth, the question should be: Is it true; is what I believe true?
Arrogance is a description of an individual, not whether or not they have the truth.
Truth is discovered, and Christians are claiming to have investigated and discovered the truth by looking at the evidence.

“Exclusive religious claims lead to war, violence and oppression.”

There have been more wars in history over politics, ethnicity and power than there have been over religion.
True Christians do not lay claim to people in history that used Christianity for their own purposes.
Religion is not the fundamental problem, people are—something is deeply wrong with the human heart and that is the root of all of the wars and oppression in history, and Christianity has the best answer for the solution to that problem.

“When you closely examine the life and teachings of Jesus and His followers you will see the true essence of Christianity emerge.”

-Jonathan Morrow, Biola University Professor

Christianity is The World’s Most Testable Religion!

Reflection

If you only had one minute for each question, to the best of your ability, give an answer in your own words (Note: the first three are from last week’s introduction)

What are four important things a Christian should work on, and model, in their walk with God? (Hint: from our Ministry Statement)
What is Christian Apologetics? Give an example
What is Hermeneutics? Give an example
What are some things that set the ”Christian Worldview” apart from others? (What makes Christianity unique?)

Bible Study

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

NOTE: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite your sources to share with your group.

Daily Devotional: Read one chapter a day from the book of Proverbs for five days and take two days off. This week do Proverbs chapters 11-15, note any questions you may have, or anything that stands out to you as a life application.

1. From your daily devotional reading in the book of Proverbs 11-15, discuss the following:

These proverbs focus on the contrast between characteristics of the righteous (wise) and the wicked (foolish). What are some examples that define the character of a righteous (or wise) person? What are some examples that define the character of a wicked (or foolish) person?
In chapter 15 there is an emphasis on “the tongue.” What are some examples in this proverb of the righteous (wise) versus the wicked (foolish) in reference to the use of the tongue?
Application: How does the use of the tongue (the way a person speaks) relate to the heart of the person, and does it give us insight into a person’s Worldview? Give some examples of how we see this in our culture today? Do we need to reflect on the use our own tongues?

Bible study: Read Ephesians chapter 2, then to the best of your ability, answer these questions:

Read Ephesians chapter 2:1-21 with your table group. This chapter focuses on how we are made alive in Christ, and on unity in the body of Christ.

a. What did Paul mean when he said: “You were dead in your trespasses and sin”? How and why did God make us alive?

b. What is the difference between those who were called “Uncircumcision” and the “Circumcision”? Does it have a spiritual meaning as well as a physical meaning, and why?

c. How did Christ Jesus break down the barriers of the dividing wall?

d. What did Paul mean when he said that Christ Jesus is the cornerstone?

Going Deeper: Discuss the importance of grace versus the idea of works as it pertains to salvation. How is the concept of grace contrary to what the Jews believe about the Law?
Memory Verses: Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of the most important passages in Scripture. Write out these two verses and recite them as memorization practice.

Join us next week as we continue our study in Christian Apologetics with a focus on the topic of Truth, along with our Bible study!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15